Exquisite Wari Chora in Meghalaya – South Garo Hills Tourism

Are you looking for a travelogue and guide to Wari Chora and places under South Garo Hills Tourism? If Yes, you are in the right place.

The popular tourist circuit of Meghalaya includes the districts of Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Tourists that love sightseeing or adventure visit the places like Shillong, Sohra, Wahkhen, Dawki, Phe Phe Falls, Mawsynram and Mawryngkhang among others.

The Garo Hills located in the western part of Meghalaya have finally started receiving the tourism exposure it deserves. This article is especially about the tourism of South Garo Hills. Learn about the places like the exquisite Wari Chora, Dombe Wari, Aginma Wari, Jadisil Fish Sanctuary, Siju Cave, Balpakram National Park, Renang Dare, Mengo Kol and many others.

South Garo Hills Tourism

Before Wari Chora became a favourite tourist spot of Meghalaya, the Garo Hills were mostly visited only for the harvest festival known as 100 Drums of Wangala of the Garo Ethnic group.

The discovery and focus of the local youths and organizations like Baghmara Campers have helped in promoting the tourism scope and Garo folk culture of the South Garo Hills district in Meghalaya.

1. Wari Chora Meghalaya

Wari Chora Tour – the Start of an Adventure

On April 7th, we started our journey from Guwahati led by our guide Tangseng of Baghmara Campers. A group of new travel friends from Shillong, West Bengal, Mumbai and Assam boarded the traveller vehicle to start the journey to a paradise called – Wari Chora.

We followed the route starting from Guwahati-Boko-Dhupdhara-Dudhnoi-Damra-Wageasi-Rongmil-Rongjen-Nengkhra-Nongalbibra-Jadi-Siju-Karukol-Baghmara. Baghmara is the headquarter of the South Garo Hills District of Meghalaya.

We stopped at Dudhnoi in Assam for lunch and at Pathargittim in South Garo Hills on our way to Baghmara.

A journey that started at 11 am ended at 9 pm in Baghmara. The excitement and thoughts of seeing the canyons and the misty world of Wari Chora the next day made us forget how tiring the journey was.

On the second day, I went for a solo morning walk along the main road. As I felt the fresh breeze of Baghmara, a person returning from a walk greeted me at Tourist Office Campus. We introduced ourselves and spoke about Garo Hills. I loved the view of the distant Hills covered by clouds and birds chirping that morning.

2 hours of travel awaited us till Emangre. We reached Emangre around 9 am. The Saturday Market in Emangre locally known as Emangre Salantini Bajal was in full swing. While waiting for our 4×4 Vehicle we bought a few eatables and spent our time at the bank of river Rongdik.

The Offroading Experience to Wari Chora

The road from Emangre Village to Rekmangre starts opposite the Market Area. We hopped on the 4×4 Vehicle for the offroad adventure. I stood at the front to make space and for a better view.

Though the Rekmangre road was bumpy, rugged and steep, I loved the view from the top.

After the settlement area, we crossed through the Emangre Community Reserve Forest. On one side was the valley and high distant hills and on the other some betel nut trees.

This experience of going off-road on steep roads reminded me of two past experiences. Firstly, how I used to lie on the top of such vehicles while bringing harvested paddy from the fields during my childhood. Secondly, exploring a riverside at Dambuk in Arunachal Pradesh.

It took about 40 minutes to reach the starting point of the trek. Tea stalls and snacks can be found after entering the gate.

Wari Chora – About & Meaning

Wari Chora is the land of the Seven Giant Serpents. Wari is a Garo word that translates to deep water while Chora refers to long. It is a place surrounded by canyons and the tranquil turquoise water of river Rongdik passes through it.

The Rongdik River flows from Wari Chora to Jawai Wari through Aginma Wari and then to Emangre joining the Simsang River in Siju and eventually entering Bangladesh.

Wari Chora is not a village but a newly developed offbeat tourist spot in between Pharomgre & Rekmangre Village of South Garo Hills of Meghalaya.

Wari Chora was first explored and promoted by Sir Bhuto Marak & his team.

The Indigenous Agro Tourism Cooperative Society Limited of Pharomgre & Rekmangre Village, Emangre Region Combine Tourism looks after the tourism of Wari Chora & Dombe Wari.

Things to do in Wari Chora

Trekking

A trek of 1.5 km downhill to Wari Chora starts from a cleared land into the forest. The first part of the trail is mostly plain and easy. Local guides both from Baghmara Campers and the village accompanied us.

Walking for a few minutes, you will see a resting hut alongside a betel tree-cultivated area. The actual forest trail starts from this point.

The more you descend the steeper the trail gets. There are stairs made of tea branches to make the descent easier.

Our excitement grew on hearing the sound of the river. Walking for a few more minutes, we reached our destination.

During the weekend particularly on Saturday & Sunday, both domestic and tourists from the different parts of the country visit the Wari Chora tourist spot.

There were limited kayaks and boats. As we waited for our turn, we made the best of the wait by diving and swimming in the clear waters of the Rongdik River.

Kayaking

The local guides took us on a ride inside the canyons with the help of Canoes, Kayaks and Rafts.

I boarded a single kayak with a Garo guide. Though we couldn’t understand each other’s language, I tried building a rapport by asking him “Nangni Biming Ma?” which translates to “What is your name?” in Garo. He replied, “Pangkam.”

The Canyons looked like the layers and heads of serpents as we kayaked ahead into the river. The passage narrowed and the sound of the gushing waters of the waterfall roared.

Awestruck! Yes, I was awestruck everywhere I laid my eyes on. The play of the sun’s rays through the leaves with the colours of the rocks turned the water more turquoise.

The ambience inside the canyon is magical. The Rongdik River which otherwise flows with power, calms down at Wari Chora. The sensation of water droplets falling from above, the dance of the reflection of light from the water into the rocks and the sight of the tree branches hanging along the passage were beautiful and my favourite moments.

Swimming

I am that soul who loves to take a dip whenever I see water. The temptations of Meghalaya’s clear blue waters are such that you can never resist diving or swimming in them.

Our guide mentioned that the depth of the river is about 45 ft. If you don’t know how to swim, a life jacket is a must.

I initially thought the kayak ride will involve just a round tour without stopping anywhere. Crossing through the passage of a fallen tree log we reached an area no sort of a wonderland.

If you are a beginner in swimming, you can swim in two spots in Wari Chora. Once at the start or later in the spot where the Raft drops you in the shallow waters inside the canyon.

In the world of greenish-brown layered canyons, when I spread my arms and glanced above, I felt like time had slowed down. The tiny drops of water fell from above with elegance and calmness.

Cliff Jumping

Though we didn’t do cliff jumping that day. Here is a video by Mukesh Rabha and locals of cliff jumping at Wari Chora. Wearing a life jacket will ensure safety during the activity.

Helpful tips for Wari Chora Trip in Meghalaya

1. Start early from Shillong or Guwahati. This will help you explore Siju Cave and reach Emangre or Baghmara before sundown.

2. Carry a waterproof ocean bag to carry your camera gear or phone at Wari Chora. I had to repair my phone after the trip.

3. Support local tourism initiatives such as Baghmara Campers for organizing the tour for you. Since most trails and tourist spots in South Garo Hills are new, locals are the best guide.

4. Make sure you visit Wari Chora on the weekdays to avoid the crowd of tourists on weekends.

All Answered FAQs on Wari Chora Meghalaya

2. Dombe Wari

Dombe Wari is a culturally significant place in the South Garo Hills of Meghalaya. It is located just before reaching the Wari Chora parking spot. You can see it to the right on your journey from Emangre to Wari Chora. We visited Dombe Wari while returning to Emangre.

According to Garo folklore, the gorgeous woman Dombe lived in a Treehouse with her husband Joreng to avoid the attack & capture by the villainous mermen (mermaids who were men). When the mermen found the couple, they brought down the house along with the Banyan Tree engulfing Dombe in it. This is how the calm Dombe Wari was formed.

During our stay at Tourist Cottages at Baghmara, our guide Tangsen narrated the story and suggested we watch the film Dombe Wari by Doordarshan Tura. We listened to the story from them and then watched the story on youtube.

Pretty Ch. Marak on the Northeast Today portal has beautifully narrated the folklore and story of Dombe Wari.

3. Aginma Wari

Aginma Wari is a fish Sanctuary located beside Jamrik Rural Tourist Resort about 3 km from the Emangre Market area. Aginma Wari and Jamrik Rural Tourist Resort are run by Eman Warima Rural Tourism Cooperative Society Ltd.

After visiting Dombe Wari, we headed to Aginma Wari where our organiser had arranged our lunch. We were hungry but the refreshing air felt on the ride after the rejuvenating experience at Wari Chora was satisfying.

Aginma Wari & Jawa Wari also have the scope for tourism. The turquoise waters of the Rongdik River and the fish conservation practice have gradually been able to attract tourists.

4. Jadisil Fish Sanctuary

Jadisil Fish Sanctuary is located at Tolegre Village about 28 km from Emangre Salantini Bajal (Weekly Market Area). Jadisil is an initiative of the locals and the Department of Fisheries of the Meghalaya government. This combined effort has helped the local fish species to flourish and increase their population.

By the time we set out on our journey towards Jadisil Fish Sanctuary, the sun was about to set. We reached the sanctuary just before it became fully dark.

The hike to Jadisil starts from Tolegre Village Playground. After crossing a few river streams, we climbed the stairs to the right and finally saw a signboard of the sanctuary.

Before heading to the sanctuary, the villagers sold us parched rice (muri) to give to the fish.

The healthy fishes would round me up as I offered them parched rice. We saw local kids cliff-jumping at the sanctuary too.

Here’s a Facebook post by our guide on Jadisil Fish Sanctuary –

5. Siju Cave

We explored Siju Cave on the 3rd i.e. last day of our trip. Siju Cave is situated about 38 km from Baghmara Town and takes around 2 hours to reach.

The trail to Siju Cave is well-marked and follows well-constructed concrete steps till the beginning of the cave.

Like Krem Mawmluh in Sohra, Siju Cave in South Garo Hills is one of the longest cave systems in Asia. It is also known as the Bat Cave.

The sun lights up the entrance of the cave. But as we ventured more into the cave, it turned darker. I used my head torch to navigate in the cave.

We crossed a small river stream by a huge boulder to reach the raised surface of the cave. As we looked up we saw hundreds of bats hanging upside down. It transported us mentally to the cave of Batman in the DC Universe. The ambience was the same.

Conclusion

I hope this article serves as a guide to exploring places like Wari Chora, Aginma Wari, Dombe Wari, Jadisil Fish Sanctuary and Siju Cave in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya. Make sure to follow the tips above to avoid any issues.

Credits go to the local Garo people of the South Garo Hills district for their efforts to promote eco-tourism. Let’s promote their initiatives and contribute to the local economy.

Baghmara Campers organises tours in all the districts of Garo Hills and Meghalaya. I would highly recommend you contact them to explore the beautiful places of Garo Hills.

Considering the places are new to the tourism realm, we as tourists and tour operators must ensure that over-tourism doesn’t take over.

This trip to South Garo Hills can be your opportunity to learn about the unique culture of the Garo ethnic group. Ecotourism, cultural tourism and nature tourism are the way ahead.

Apart from the destinations mentioned in the article, here are 6 new tourist places in South Garo Hills–

1. Menggo Kol

2. Balpakram Peak

3. Darechikgre

4. Rangram Pattal

5. Krangchusrik Wari

6. Renang Dare Waterfall

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